"an offer"

in leathers
and darkened mood
beneath the guise of
her long summer dresses,
a shy girl of almond eye
listened
with an unlistening ear
as three males
described their last use.

at the pinnacle of a
story, she rose,
smoothed her silks
and turned to go.
a male voice,
to her side suddenly
said, "would not the lady
care to join me in a bowl
of tchai and to hear the
remainder of my tale?" as
the pools of her eyes
remained lowered, she
replied in voice soft,
soft, "the divinity of a
bowl of tchai is for a
spiritual occasion of
another kind" to which
she walked into the
crowd and he
to stand and wonder.